literature assignments
The Elements of Fiction
Tools for Analyzing and Composing Prose
Characters
Protagonist
The hero/heroin—main character
What is at stake for the protagonist?
What is his/her greatest fear?
What is her greatest desire?
Antagonist
The “bad” gal/guy
Stands directly in the path of the protagonist achieving his/her greatest desire.
Usually embodies the protagonists greatest fear
Minor characters
Play a role in assisting the protagonist achieve his/her goal
Helps to move the plot forward in some way.
Point of View
The vantage point from which a narrative is told
first-person
third-person point of view –person narratives come in two types:
3rd person omniscient
3rd person limited
1st Person
- the author tells the story through a character who refers to himself or herself as "I."
3rd Person Omniscient
assumes the vantage point of an all-knowing narrator able not only to recount the action thoroughly and reliably but also to enter the mind of any character in the work or any time in order to reveal his or her thoughts, feelings, and beliefs directly to the reader.
3rd Person Limited
recounts the story through the eyes of a single character (or occasionally more than one, but not all or the narrator would be an omniscient narrator).
Setting
Where is this story taking place?
Location (country, state, City, small town, etc.)
Place (an apartment, on the train, etc.)
When is the story?
The time period
Plot
Plot—events that take place in the story, which is centered around the conflict
Conflict, no matter how subtle, is the crux of all stories. A story cannot exist without conflict
Plot Types
Man vs Man
Man vs Self
Man vs Society
Man vs Technology
The Plot Arc
Theme
What is the message, insight, advice, shared with readers as s/he investigates the elements of fiction as a whole.